Wausau Economic Development approves Briq’s lease for another year

Damakant Jayshi

Wausau’s Economic Development Committee on Wednesday approved renewing a lease for Briq’s Soft Serve at Riverlife Park for another year with two changes to the original agreement.

The amendment changes the duration of the agreement an hours of operation and was approved unanimously. The renewed one-year lease period is effective retroactively, from Sept. 25, 2023.

The “grab and go” snacks and soft serve ice cream store will be open approximately from May 29 to Sept. 4, depending on the weather. The new hours of operation are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. According to the meeting packet, the previous duration was May 1 to Oct. 1 and hours of operation were 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Economic Development Manager Randy Fifrick told Wausau Pilot & Review that the city reached an agreement with Briq’s on Feb. 29, though the final approval is in the hands of the City Council.

Parks Director Jamie Polley said the agreement wasn’t signed until necessary HVAC fixes were made.

She said that there had “a few issues with the HVAC system in the building and Briq’s wanted to ensure we were working on that issue prior to a lease renewal.” The Parks Department is responsible for cleaning the restrooms at the park and Briq’s will assist when necessary.

At the committee meeting on Wednesday, Fifrick told members that the HVAC issues has been resolved to the satisfaction of both the city and Briq’s.

On Wednesday, Alder Chad Henke asked about a 3% rent increase that was to go into effect after the first three-year lease agreement ended in 2022. He said the issue of a rent increase should be revisited next year when the lease comes up for renewal.

City officials gave contradictory figures for the monthly rent when this newspaper asked about the exact status of the rent. In her response to Wausau Pilot’s questions, Polley said Briq’s pays the city $1,000 a month.

But Fifrick said he pulled an invoice from the end of 2022 for Briq’s and the 3% increase was applied at that time. Fifrick said Briq’s monthly rent currently is $1,030 a month.

The agreement between the City of Wausau and Briq’s was signed in June 2019 and was supposed to be renewed for another three-year term, according to the terms of the lease. However, it was renewed only for a year in 2022. During the pandemic, the ice cream company shut down the operation and received a rent payment deferment, beginning May 1, 2020.

Wausau Pilot has also reached out to Finance Director Maryanne Groat – in addition to Polley and Fifrick – asking her when the rent payment was resumed and whether it is currently being paid.